Impregnated degradationresistant cloth



United States Patent 3,379,563 IMPREGNATED DEGRADATION- RESISTANT CLOTHWalter W. Abramitis, Downers Grove, Richard A. Reclr,

Hinsdale, and Charles S. Wilhclmy, Chicago, 111., assignors to Armourand Company, Chicago, [1]., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. FiledSept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 395,008 Claims. (Cl. 117--138.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A soil degradation-resistant cloth isprepared by impregnating the cloth with 0.l5.0% by weight of apreserving agent selected from the group consisting of N-(lmethylalkyl)benzylamines, their double salts and metal complexes, and in which thealkyl group has from 7 to 21 carbon atoms. The preserving agent may beapplied in a solvent and then the cloth may be dried.

This invention relates to cloth preservative, and more particularly to asoil degradation-resistant cloth and method of treating the same.

Textile fabrics, such as cotton goods, tentage, bags, etc., which aredependent upon their tensile strength, often lose their usefulnessbecause of contact with the soil. Degradation brought about by contactwith the soil results not only from soil fungi but other soil-bornemicroorganisms and the complex chemical changes that take place in thesoil. Because of the complexity of the sources of such degradation, itis good practice to subject cloth impregnated with preservative to soilburial tests, and the tensile strength of cloth after periods of burialis tested to determine the effectiveness of the container, bag, or othercloth product.

An object of the present invention is to provide a soildecomposition-resistant cloth for the above-mentioned uses. A furtherobject is to provide a cloth impregnated with a preservative which iseffective fora substantial time against degradation by soil fungi,soil-borne microorganisms, and other degradation agents in the soil. Astill further object is to provide a method and means for preservingcloth against degradation in contact with soil. Other specific objectsand advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

In one embodiment of our invention, a textile cloth, such as, forexample, a cotton bag, is impregnated with an N-(l-methylalkyl)benzylamine, its double salts or metal complexes, as, for example,soaking the cloth in an acetone solution containing the preservativematerial, draining off the excess solution, and drying the cloth.

The N-(l-methylalkyl) benzylamine has the following structureN-(l-methylalkyl) benzylamine a where R=721 C atoms The double salt ofthe N-(l-methylalkyl) benzylamine is prepared by the reaction betweenthe hydrochloride salt of the amine with a heavy metal salt. Forexample, cupric N-.( l-methalkyl) benzylammonium chloride is soprepared, and it has the following structure:

H CH3 3,379,563 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 "ice t 6H G n- CU. 2C1- I G ur HCH In the above structural formulas, R is a hydrocarbon radical havingfrom 7 to 21 carbon atoms. In the practice of our invention, theconcentration range is preferably from 0.1 percent to 5.0 percent.

The impregnating amine material may be applied to the cloth in anysuitable manner, as by spraying it upon the cloth, soaking the cloth inthe preservative material, etc. For testing the treated cloth, thepractice is to bury the cloth for a period of time, say, one or twoweeks, and to recover the cloth at the end of the week or two weeks andtest it for tensile strength. Tensile strength tests are usually madewith a Scott tester, and the percentage of the original cloth strengthretained is calculated and recorded. The calculations are as follows:

Average (A-C') X l00 percent strength retamed A=Breaking point of buriedtreated cloth, pounds pull. B=Breaking point of unburied treated cloths,pounds pull. C=Breaking point of buried untreated cloths, pounds pull.

While we prefer to employ chloride salts, other inorganic salts may beused, such as the acetate, formate, etc. salts. For applying theN-(l-methylalkyl) benzylamines, any suitable organic solvent may beemployed, such as, for example, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol,carbon tetrachloride, ether, etc.

In general, any cellulosic cloth material requiring some tensilestrength may be employed, such as cotton, jute, hemp, linen, etc.

Specific illustrative examples of our process and product may be set outas follows:

Example I Specific N-(l-methylalkyl) benzylamines, their double saltsand metal complexes were employed for impregnating cotton-towelingstrips (l /z x 6"), as set out in the following Table I. The clothstrips were soaked in solutions containing 5.0, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1 percentof the test chemical, draining off the excess solution. The cloths weredried and were buried, together with untreated control strips, in a richgreenhouse soil held in large trays (2" x 2' x 4'). One-half of thecloths were recovered after one week and the other half at the end oftwo weeks. The cloths were dried, placed in a Scott tester, and pulledapart until broken. The pounds of pull required were recorded, and thepercentage of cloth strength retained was calculated. The results areset out in the following Table I.

TABLE I Not Buried Average Lbs. Pull 01 Percent Treated Percent Con- 5%Treated Untreated Buried Cloth Cloth Strength Chemical centrate Solu-Cloth, Avg. Retained After tion Used Lbs. Pull 1 Week 2 Weeks 1 week 2Weeks 5. 100 63. 1 N-(l-methyloetyl) bcnzylaniine s. 4. 1. 6 0.0 92 0 0.1 17. 9 0. 0 5. 0 100 99. 0 r 1. 0 100 61. O Cupnc l\-(1-methy loctyl)benzylammornum chloride 0 9.0 O. 5 0.0 74 4 85 6 0. 1 29. 0 0. 0

5. 0 100 100 Dichlorobis-[Nil-methyloctyl) benzylamine] copper II 8.5 1. 9 0.0 5 0. 1 64. 7 1. 2 5. 0 76. 6 70. 2

N-(l-methyldeeyl) henzylamlne a. 9.4 1.2 0.0 0. 1 31. 9 0. 0 5. 0 10070. 8

D ichlorobis-[N(l-methyldecyl) beuzylamiue] g 7. 2 0. 2 o. 0 8 O. 1 86.1 0. 0

5. 0 100 100 N-(Lmethyldodccyl) benzylamine 10.8 0. 2 o. 0 19 t g 0. 10. 0 0. 0

Cupric N -(1-methyldodecyl) benzylamrnonium chloride 7. 4 0. 3 0.0 0. 136. 5 25. 7

5. 0 100 100 Dichlorobis-[N-(l-methyldodccyl) benzylaminc} copper II 7.6 0. 1 0. 0 1 6 0. 1 17. 1 0. 0

N(1-methyloetadccyl) benzylamine i 8. 2 0. 1 0.0 0. 1 11. 0 1. 2

Cupric ir-(Lmethyloctadecyl) benzylarnmomum chloride 5 7. 2 0.3 0.0 100m0 0. 1 90. 3 0. 0 5. 0 100 02. 2 v r Y t v 1.0 86.7 35.7Dichloroois-[N-(l-meth loetadecyl) benz lamane] copper II Q 5 9. 8 0. 10.0 55 1 12' 2 0. 1 31. 6 0. 0

While in the foregoing specification we have described the product andprocedure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating theinvention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widelyby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

We claim:

1. A soil degradationresistant cloth, consistin of cloth impregnatedwith 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight of a preserving agent selected fromthe group consisting of lJ-(l-methylallzyl) benzylamines, their doublesalts and metal complexes, and in which the alkyl group has from 7 to 21carbon atoms.

2. A soil degradation-resistant cloth, consisting of cloth impregnatedwith 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight of a compound having the followingstructure:

where R is a hydrocarbon radical having from 7 to 21 carbon atoms.

3. A soil degradation-resistant cloth, consisting of cloth impregnatedwith 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight of a compound having the followingstructure:

HCH

in which R is a hydrocarbon radical having 7 to 21 carbon atoms, and Xis a heavy metal salt selected from the group consisting of the chlorideof copper, tin, zinc, chromium, mercury, iron and nickel.

4. A soil degradation-resistant cloth, consisting of cloth impregnatedwith 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight of the reaction product ofN-(l-methylalkyl) benzylarnine with methylalkyl) benzylamine in whichthe alkyl group has from 7 to 21 carbon atoms.

5. A soil degradation-resistant cloth, consisting of cloth impregnatedwith 0.1 to 5 .0 percent by weight of an N-( 1- methylalkyl) benzylaminein which the alkyl group has from 7 to 21 carbon atoms.

6. The product of claim 5 in which the amine isN-(lmethyloctadecylbenzylamine) 7. A soil degradation-resistant cloth,consisting of cloth impregnated with 0.1 to 5.0 percent by Weight ofcupric N-(l-methyloctadecyl) benzylammonium chloride.

8. The product of claim 1 in which the cloth is cotton.

9. A process for preserving cloth against degradation when in contactwith soil, comprising impregnating the cloth with an organic solventcontaining 0.1 to 5.0 percent by Weight of a preservative selected fromthe group consisting of N- (1 -methylalkyl) benzylamines, their doublesalts and metal complexes, and drying the cloth.

10. The process of claim 9 in which the organic solvent is acetone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,588,428 3/1952 Stewart et al.260-4299 X 2,613,226 10/1952 Craig et al 260--570.9 2,856,330 10/1958Vagenius 117138.5 X 2,885,416 5/1959 Costabello et a1. 260429.9

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner.

7 T. G. DAVIS. Assistant Examiner,

